Algeria’s own revolutionary tradition and its commitment to self-determination and nationalism historically have influenced its foreign policy. Pledged to upholding and furthering the revolution against imperialism, Algeria has been a prominent leader in both the region and the developing world. As time has passed, the ideological ambitions of the immediate post-independence years have been subordinated to more pressing economic and strategic interests. Even during the austere socialist years of Boumediene, economic factors played a significant role in determining the course of foreign policy toward both the East and West. Algeria is a large country in northern Africa where more than four-fifths of its territory is covered by the Sahara desert.
